Index-leaf



No. 624,718. Patent d May 9, I899. I

w. N. WINFIELD. INDEX LEAF.

(Application filed Sept. 15, 18981) (No Iodel.)

J in its closed position.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

XVILLIAM N. \VINFIELD, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

IN DEX-LEAF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 624,718, dated May 9, 1899.

Application filed September 15,1898. Serial No. 691,037. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM N. WINFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Led gers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates generally to ledgers, and has particular reference to a balancebook used in connection therewith.

The invention consists in the novel construction of a balance-book leaf and the peculiar arrangement, combination, and construction of the various parts thereof, all as hereinafter shown and described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a ledger, showing my improvement attached thereto, the ledger being open and the balance-book and index being attached and likewise open as in use. Fig. 2 is an enlarged section through the outer edge of the ledger and through the balance-book and index. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the ledger Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the balance-book and index, showing the same open. Fig. 5 is a section through one of the leaves of the balance-book and index, showing the manner of building it up.

A is a ledger, either a regular bound book or a loose-leaf binder, as desired. In the drawings I have shown it as a loose-leaf ledger having suitable covers B and C. To one of these covers, preferably the back one, I detachably attach the balance-book and index D. This latter consists of covers Eand leaves F of the construction to be hereinafter described, the covers being hinged together by the usual manner, so as to open and close the book. To one edge of one cover is flexibly connected a tongue G, as by means of the flexible strip or strap H, and this tongue G is adapted to enter a pocket I, formed at the edge of the cover.

It is not essential to-iny invention that the particular means of detachably connecting the balance book and index shall be the tongue G, as any other form of detachable means may be employed, it being only essential that the book D shall be such a one as can be folded back upon the cover, sothat when the ledger is closed it will be within the covers of the ledger, as shown in Fig. 3. The pages of the book D are each ruled into at least two columns a and b, which are provided with the usual lines for writing thereon. The column Ct is intended for the name of the person, and the column I] is ruled for figures, so that the balance of the individual may be marked thereon. In some instances I preferably subdivide the column b to form a column c for the purpose of indicating the page or sheet in the ledger in which the account is kept. The column b I make of such proper material so that the figures thereon may be erased at will, and this I preferably do by using some silicate preparation or a speciallyprepared paper which will permit of this erasure and the easy writing thereon of figures. In making a leaf for this book I take a sheet at and upon the outer half of one face I place the erasing-tablet 6, upon which is formed the column b. Upon the inner edge or half of the other face of this sheet I place a cor responding tablet 6. Then in order to make the faces flush I may and preferably do place in the remaining exposed portions of the sheet (1 suitable cardboard or heavy-paper tablets h, as plainly shown in Fig. 5, and thus make a leaf of triple thickness, the half of each exposed surface being of specially-preparedmaterial, so that it may be written on and the writing easily erased.

In banks and other similar places of business it is desirable to keep accurate records at all times of thebalance of each individual. Therefore in posting onto the ledger the bookkeeper keeps open before him the balancebook and index D, preferably at the right hand, as shown in Fig. 1, and when he finds V ord, while the record on the book D of the.

balance is simply a temporary onefor reference in the manner desired. In banks, for

instance, when the bookkeeper has corrected the balance of all depositors whose balance has changed during the day he can detach the book D from his ledger and hand it to the The balance in the ledger proper is made teller, who thus will have before him each day the proper balance of every individual, and can thus prevent the possibility of overdraft with the least possible expenditure of time on his part.

At the close of the days business the bookkeeper can attach his balance-book to the edge of his ledger again, erase the old balances, and insert the new ones for the next days work. It is evident that inasmuch as the balances are all in a single book in convenient form they may be footed to give the total at any time with the least possible trouble;

The balance-book is indexed by having the names arranged therein alphabetically and provided with any suitableindex therefor,

- such as tags or an indented alphabetical index.

book may be put away within the ledger in the manner described by folding it, as shown in Fig. 3, so that there is no chance of mis- A book of this kind has been found to be 1 placing it, and it practically takes up no extra room. Moreover, the novel means I employ for detachably securing the index to the ledger not only forms a desirable connection between the two books, but a part of the securing device constitutes a cover for the front edges of the index-leaves when the index-book is in its folded position within the ledger or when said index-book is detached from the ledger and filed away. This is a desirable feature, particularly in the latter case, as the index proper, which is usually formed in the front edges of the index-book, is effectively protected from dust and dirt.

What I claim as my invention is- The combination in an index balance-book, of aleaf, of the tablets e, reinforcing the outer and inner. portions of opposite sides, and the tablets h on the remaining portions of said leaf.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

XVILLIAM N. WVINFIELD.

WVitnesses:

M. B. ODoeHERTY, OTTO F. BARTHEL. 

